Hunter loses bid for Detroit school superintendent job

Baltimore school Superintendent Richard C. Hunter has lost his bid to become Detroit's new superintendent. The Detroit school board instead chose the deputy superintendent of Milwaukee's schools.

The Detroit board voted 9-2 to hire Deborah M. McGriff, who was unanimously recommended by the five board members making up Detroit's search committee. Board members made the choice last Tuesday because they felt that Dr. McGriff was the "leading reform educator" in the country, said Michele Y. Edwards, a spokeswoman for the Detroit schools.

Dr. Hunter's three-year contract with Baltimore will not be renewed when it ends this July. The school board decided against keeping Dr. Hunter in December, after Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke said he had lost confidence in the superintendent.

Dr. Hunter was one of five finalists chosen from a pool of 35 candidates after preliminary interviews with the Detroit search committee. He traveled to Detroit last month for more interviews.